With the energy crises created by the impact of consumption of non-renewable natural resources, together with a new emphasis in establishing clean-air-standards associated with the usage of such natural resource, a considerable amount of effort has been directed to other forms of energy. Although there are several other forms of energy, the emphasis has been placed on solar energy as the most logical non-polluting recyclicable energy source. Consequently there are on the market many so-called solar storage systems.
These prior art devices generally comprise a medium--either air or liquid--to be heated, in some instances a storage tank, and in other instances a boil-off circulating system.
Although these solar storage systems are operable and in certain instances commercially operable, they are not without their attendant disadvantages. Principally the problem area is a lack of ability to convert the flow of highly concentrated solar energy, directivity relative to thermal-energy transfer, and a storage system with a capacity to carry the system on cloudy days. The problem related to the conversion of concentrated solar-energy is with the storage medium and its reflective surface and the response of the system to multi-temperature thermal source.
Further, the prior art systems generally utilize the solar radiation to heat either a liquid or air directly and then utilize the heated air or water for the intended purpose. The multi-temperature storage systems are much fewer and are of the indirect type, that is, the heated excess air or liquid is placed in a storage medium. These prior art solar storage systems are very simple in structure and somewhat crude. Very little advance in the art has been made with multi-temperature solar storage systems directly converting concentrated solar-energy into a thermal energy source.
Although perhaps in some future period of time solar energy may be a complete substitute for other forms of energy, today solar energy, at best, is a supplement to or an alternate source of energy. Nonetheless, the failure of the prior art to recognize the practical usefulness of solar energy has resulted in commercial systems that are extremely expensive, but, yet, of only a minimal and questionable value.